Mixed distributed/centralized routing techniques based on closed-loop feedback from a learning machine to avoid dark zones

1. A method, comprising:

determining a routing topology of a network including nodes interconnected by communication links;

monitoring activity in the network to determine a normal behavior of the communication links;

detecting weak communication links in the network that deviate from the determined normal behavior;

determining whether the weak communication links are spatially correlated based on the determined topology of the network;

in response to the weak communication links being spatially correlated, identifying a region of the network affected by the weak communication links as a dark zone that is to be substantially avoided when routing data packets in the network;

identifying one or more nodes in the network substantially within the dark zone; and

sending an instruction to the one or more nodes to locally reroute a data packet received by the one or more nodes, such that the dark zone is substantially avoided when forwarding the data packet.

2. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

adjusting the routing topology such that the dark zone is substantially avoided when routing data packets in the network.

3. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

removing a set of communication links and nodes substantially within the dark zone from a routing topology database; and

computing, based on the set of removed communication links and nodes, one or more of a set of disconnected nodes and a path cost increase.

4. The method as in claim 3 , further comprising:

modifying the set of removed communication links and nodes so as to limit the path cost increase.

5. The method as in claim 3 , further comprising:

modifying the set of removed communication links and nodes so as to limit the set of disconnected nodes.

6. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving a low-priority packet from one of the one or more nodes; and

determining whether the dark zone is still active based on the received packet.

7. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

determining a path cost increase limit for the one or more nodes when locally rerouting the data packet; and

including an indication of the path cost increase limit in the instruction.

8. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

determining an amount of time for which the weak communication links deviate from the determined normal behavior.

9. The method as in claim 1 , further comprising:

monitoring activity of each communication link in the network.

10. The method as in claim 1 , wherein the weak communication links are characterized by an abnormally low performance metric, the performance metric relating to one or more of an expected transmission count (ETX), a received signal strength index (RSSI), and a link quality index (LQI).

11. An apparatus, comprising:

one or more network interfaces that communicate with a network;

a processor coupled to the one or more network interfaces and configured to execute a process; and

a memory configured to store program instructions which contain the process executable by the processor, the process comprising:

determining a routing topology of the network including nodes interconnected by communication links;

monitoring activity in the network to determine a normal behavior of the communication links;

detecting weak communication links in the network that deviate from the determined normal behavior;

determining whether the weak communication links are spatially correlated based on the determined topology of the network;

in response to the weak communication links being spatially correlated, identifying a region of the network affected by the weak communication links as a dark zone that is to be substantially avoided when routing data packets in the network;

identifying one or more nodes in the network substantially within the dark zone; and

sending an instruction to the one or more nodes to locally reroute a data packet received by the one or more nodes, such that the dark zone is substantially avoided when forwarding the data packet.

12. The apparatus as in claim 11 , wherein the process further comprises:

adjusting the routing topology such that the dark zone is substantially avoided when routing data packets in the network.

13. The apparatus as in claim 11 , wherein the process further comprises:

removing a set of communication links and nodes substantially within the dark zone from a routing topology database; and

computing, based on the set of removed communication links and nodes, one or more of a set of disconnected nodes and a path cost increase.

14. The apparatus as in claim 13 , wherein the process further comprises:

modifying the set of removed communication links and nodes so as to limit the path cost increase.

15. The apparatus as in claim 13 , wherein the process further comprises:

modifying the set of removed communication links and nodes so as to limit the set of disconnected nodes.

16. The apparatus as in claim 11 , wherein the process further comprises:

receiving a low-priority packet from one of the one or more nodes; and

determining whether the dark zone is still active based on the received packet.

17. The apparatus as in claim 11 , wherein the process further comprises:

determining a path cost increase limit for the one or more nodes when locally rerouting the data packet; and

including an indication of the path cost increase limit in the instruction.

18. The apparatus as in claim 11 , wherein the process further comprises:

determining an amount of time for which the weak communication links deviate from the determined normal behavior.

19. The apparatus as in claim 11 , wherein the process further comprises:

monitoring activity of each communication link in the network.

20. The apparatus as in claim 11 , wherein the weak communication links are characterized by an abnormally low performance metric, the performance metric relating to one or more of an expected transmission count (ETX), a received signal strength index (RSSI), and a link quality index (LQI).

21. A tangible non-transitory computer readable medium storing program instructions that cause a computer to execute a process, the process comprising:

determining a routing topology of a network including nodes interconnected by communication links;

monitoring activity in the network to determine a normal behavior of the communication links;

detecting weak communication links in the network that deviate from the determined normal behavior;

determining whether the weak communication links are spatially correlated based on the determined topology of the network;

in response to the weak communication links being spatially correlated, identifying a region of the network affected by the weak communication links as a dark zone that is to be substantially avoided when routing data packets in the network;

identifying one or more nodes in the network substantially within the dark zone; and

sending an instruction to the one or more nodes to locally reroute a data packet received by the one or more nodes, such that the dark zone is substantially avoided when forwarding the data packet.